Kelly's BT Openreach Engineers - Page 4

Yoot · 29-10-2013, 22:38

Stay well away from working for them, you'll regret it!

judgey · 29-10-2013, 22:44

Ive just said the same about working for Fujitsu lol

gamb0 · 02-11-2013, 19:56

This message is directed to shoot2thrill. I disagree with some of your comments. I worked for Kelly's and lasted two months. I didn't botch a single job, in fact I completed every job to the highest standards and never had a single audit failure. I have always been a dedicated professional and spent 15 years working for Ericsson's commissioning digital exchanges which I can assure you is way more technical and highly skilled. My problem was Kelly's had me working in rural areas, farms etc and it was impossible to make a living. The majority of poles were joint user and I could spend up to 3 hours waiting for a hoist to complete five minutes work, and if that wasn't bad enough I would spend hours climbing carrier poles to connect one customer to the DP before even starting the internal fit. A living can be had if you're fortunate to work in built up areas but if you're stuck out in the middle of nowhere then its almost impossible. I agree with some of your comments tho, I too have worked with lazy incompetents that lasted five minutes on the job,. but to say that the guys that last a couple of months are whingers and moaners and have nothing better to to do than complain is wrong.

insulatorpotty · 03-11-2013, 20:43

dead right, all the managers want to see is comps. the so called 'top' engineers on quinns are given the choice areas most of the time and cry like stuck pigs when they go out into the sticks.

shoot2thrill · 12-11-2013, 17:58

gamb0 thats a fair point I totally agree with you on that one,
If your doing rural routes then plainly put the job isnt worth the money or the effort.
Im fortunate enough to work in the city/suburbs so majority of jobs can be done,

I had a 12 span install last week that was dis at 70metres, no chance of doing it for £25.
Phoned BT and explained they need to send a salaried engineer who can spend several hours on it.
Like I say tho luck of the draw with how the jobs land im afraid.

gamb0 · 12-11-2013, 22:01

shoot2thrill, I'm amazed your sim allowed you to send that job back to BT. I never had that luxury.

shoot2thrill · 13-11-2013, 18:03

Just to give an idea of luck of the draw regarding jobs,
Had 6 installs today and only managed to complete 1, had to partial 2 and rest had to cancel.
8am until 5pm for £45!
Monday had 6 installs all complete and done for 2:30

Like I say just luck of the draw

MrIca · 16-11-2013, 10:14

I'm convinced this will all be shut down soon anyway. You guys AREN'T self employed but Quinn's and Kelly's are trying to act like you are. I used to work for HMRC and we had a flow chart to try and work out if someone is self employed or employed. You would definitely fall into the bracket of 'employed'.

It's a tax and NI dodge, but more than that it's way cheaper than having to pay you all a proper salary.

insulatorpotty · 17-11-2013, 20:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrIca

I'm convinced this will all be shut down soon anyway. You guys AREN'T self employed but Quinn's and Kelly's are trying to act like you are. I used to work for HMRC and we had a flow chart to try and work out if someone is self employed or employed. You would definitely fall into the bracket of 'employed'.

It's a tax and NI dodge, but more than that it's way cheaper than having to pay you all a proper salary.

yep, youre dead right. most are on paye thru agencys, not sure if they realise the law has changed regarding agency workers rights. sooner or later someone will challenge them in court over this.

Doodledandy · 22-11-2013, 18:44

Re: Kelly Communications
Hello fellow cable guys,
I've been offered a position with Kelly's as an Overhead installation Tech, on the BT Openreach contract. Minimum of four jobs a day. This is on a Self Employed basis. Paying £25 per complete install and £10 if incomplete for any reason & £15 for BT Vision installs. My tax & NI are taken care of through Work force construction at a cost of £32 per fortnight. I have also been informed that should I leave with in 12 months I will be charge £500 for cost of training. So PLEASE PLEASE can you guys advise me as to how Kelly's currently work and how the employees are treated any pay issues and work conditions

Thanks

MrIca · 25-11-2013, 07:40

Doodledandy-Yeah I thought this was still going on, self employed hey? Well you're not! And you're getting ripped off. Bear in mind as they don't class you as an employee they don't have to pay a pension (the new pension rules don't apply), and they don't have to pay employer's National Insurance contributions.

Read my post above. You'd be doing nothing wrong by accepting this contract, but it's a tax dodge on behalf of the company employing you. I do think in time all of the people on "self-employed" contracts will be bought under PAYE when HMRC inevitably investigates.

**Paul** · 25-11-2013, 13:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doodledandy

Paying £25 per complete install and £10 if incomplete for any reason & £15 for BT Vision installs.

This bit would send me running a mile.
You are being penalised for the fact that other people have not done their work correctly.

If you completed your part of the job correctly, then you should be paid the £25.
I would be quite interested in how such a policy faired under unfair contract rules.

MrIca · 25-11-2013, 18:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul M

I would be quite interested in how such a policy faired under unfair contract rules.

Doesn't matter does it? There is no contract as they are "self employed"

If there were contracts they would be employed. And it isn't that someone hasn't done their job properly, most of the time it should work and when the contractor turns up to do the install the records were wrong.

Jobs only go out to contractors if they are easy and on the records are showing as probably getting to the pole. Complex installs go to Openreach engineers instead. Obviously records aren't always correct.

insulatorpotty · 25-11-2013, 21:04

Quinns have the same arrangement and your right it is outrageous, but at the moment theres not a lot else out there any better.
As for contractors only getting easy jobs??

MrIca · 25-11-2013, 21:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by insulatorpotty

Quinns have the same arrangement and your right it is outrageous, but at the moment theres not a lot else out there any better.
As for contractors only getting easy jobs??

Easy compared to installs that Openreach engineers get? Absolutely. I didn't mean they were easy jobs though.

Openreach engineers get complex installs, where the system thinks there is likely to be an underground fault and that the line isn't going to be getting to the DP. Openreach engineers also get FTTC installs where the test system has identified a fault existing on the line, contractors don't get those jobs.

So yes, the installs that contractors get are without a doubt easier by their very nature as the tricky ones are sifted out.